Popular diets

I just read this article by Cynthia Ross Cravit, that was a new report weighs in on the best diets. I found it interesting as I am now trying get some weight back off again. Ugh. I can't believe I let myself get this way but life will do that to you sometimes. Here is what it said:

Wanted: A diet that actually works. A diet you can stick to for more than a week. A diet that doesn't consist of primarily cabbage.

In response to the unrelenting desire to shed pounds (and fast), 2,215 new health and fitness books were published in 2006 alone, according to R.R. Bowker's Books in Print, which tracks information on the publishing industry.

With so many weight-reduction diets claiming to be the long-awaited "breakthrough" not to mention the masses of contradictory advice from "experts", who's to say whether carbs are good or bad, or whether you should be tracking calories or fat grams.

The June issue of Consumers Report took on the challenge by rating eight diet plans based on the results of randomized clinical trials and the diet's adherence to nutritional guidelines. The studies reported on both short-term (3-6 months) and long term (12 months) results with at least 40 participants per diet.

The report goes on to critique popular diet books based on ease of use, quality of meal plans, validity of nutritional science and exercise.

Best diets for weight loss: the top four

1. Volumetrics diet. The top-rated diet uses a strategy of consuming "low-density" foods to take the edge off of hunger. Dieters are encouraged to start their meals with a low calorie soup or salad. The idea is to fill up on lower calorie foods and at the same time, stave off hunger by eating larger volumes of food. (The report notes that other diets also employ this strategy, although not as explicitly.) The diet was developed by Barbara Rolls, PhD, and a professor of nutritional sciences at The Pennsylvania State University.

2. Weight Watchers. This well known approach uses weekly meetings and weigh-ins for motivation and behavioral support for diet and exercise changes. It scored average on weight loss but first in long-term adherence. Recipes were found to be appetizing and fairly easy to prepare.

3. Jenny Craig. Another popular program, Jenny Craig provides individual counseling and meal plans at company outlets, by phone, or online. While client histories revealed a high dropout rate, those who stuck with the plan lost considerable weight. The diet requires minimal food preparation.

4. Slim-Fast. This brand of controlled calorie shakes and bars is widely available in drugstores and supermarkets. The menu meets dietary guidelines, and clinical studies show above-average long-term weight loss but a high long-term dropout rate.

Best diet books
The Consumer Reports rating of popular diet books was based on an expert-panel questionnaire and the organization's own analysis of nutritional quality. None of the books have been tested by large clinical trials.

Top-rated was The Best Life Diet – an Oprah-endorsed best-seller. The experts praised its straightforward recipes and nutritional meal plans.

Other favourites included:
• Eat, Drink, & Weigh Less — the panel liked the Mediterranean recipes but noted too little emphasis was placed on exercise.
• You: On a Diet — experts praised the book's simplicity but said it lacked in details and flexibility.
• The Abs Diet— this book places good emphasis on exercise, experts said. However, the panel expressed concern about the book's endorsement of whey supplements.

No one weight-loss plan works for everyone The ratings are intended to help dieters figure out a place to start, Nancy Metcalf, Consumer Reports' senior project editor told MSNBC. "There's no such thing as the perfect diet for everyone," Metcalf added. "You've got a better chance of doing better on one of
the higher-rated diets."

Dieters on the CR's higher-ranked weight-loss plans shed more pounds and were more likely to stick with those diets, the panel said.

Weight loss tips

Are you a do-it-yourself dieter? If you're attempting to lose weight without the help of a formal program or counseling, Consumer Reports offers these tips.

1. Don't skip breakfast. 75 per cent of successful dieters say they start off the day right – by eating breakfast, typically some cereal and fruit.

2. Choose and limit your fats. Good fats include olive and other monounsaturated oils, nuts, avocados, and omega-3 oils from seafood and plant sources. But good or bad, keep in mind that all fats have big calorie counts.

3. Eat healthfully, but sparingly. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and some lean meat and fish, healthy fats, and whole grains. Minimize refined grains, potatoes, and full-fat dairy products. But no matter how "healthy" your diet is, you still have to restrict quantities to lose weight.

4. Crank up the activity. To control weight from exercise alone requires 60 to 90 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous exercise. But any amount of exercise, no matter how modest, will help you shed pounds.

5. Consider cutting carbs. Virtually all diets restrict or eliminate "bad" highly refined carbs such as white bread, cookies, chips, and soft drinks. While a wholesale cutback on grains, fruits, and the sweeter vegetables such as the popular Atkins diet works for some dieters, it is not for everyone.

6. Fill up on low-density foods. One way to reduce calories and still eat a satisfying amount of food is to focus your diet on foods that have fewer calories per bite, or low "energy density." This strategy recommends starting your meals with a low-calorie soup or salad and eating main dishes that are full of vegetables and fruits.

7. Don't banish the scale. Successful dieters weigh themselves at least once a week.

8. Bore yourself thin. Since variety tends to stimulate appetite, dieters might do better to restrict selections (i.e. the buffet table).